


Wish Upon A Star

by a_quick_drink



Category: Band of Brothers
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, First Meetings, Fluff, Humor, M/M, Meet-Cute, Sacrifice, Wishes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-19
Updated: 2016-08-19
Packaged: 2018-08-09 19:14:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,906
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7813828
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/a_quick_drink/pseuds/a_quick_drink
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>'What did people think he was, a miracle-worker? Okay, he kind of was considering it was his job to grant the requested wishes in whatever way he saw fit, but was it really asking too much of humans to say exactly what it was they wanted?'</p>
            </blockquote>





	Wish Upon A Star

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Casey_Wolfe](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Casey_Wolfe/gifts).



> Inspired by [this prompt](http://idareyoutowrite.tumblr.com/post/148665519157).

_I wish I wasn't alone._

Ron groaned at the latest case file he'd been assigned. He hated vague wishes like that. What did people think he was, a miracle-worker? Okay, he kind of was considering it was his job to grant the requested wishes in whatever way he saw fit, but was it really asking too much of humans to say exactly what it was they wanted? Vague wishes like this one meant far more work, which he had plenty of to begin with by the time he jumped through all the necessary hoops to fulfill a wish. It wasn't like he could snap his fingers, oh no, there was a specific channel he had to follow lest he lose his license, all of which he typically handled from the comfort of his personal office. 

Not this case. Now he would have to go talk to--Ron scanned to the bottom of the document--Carwood Lipton and find out what exactly it was this client wanted before he could even start working on making it a reality. Thank the Makers he seldom got cases like these. Something about him not being a 'people person', which he thought was nonsense.

"If anyone needs me, Luz, I'll be on Earth," he announced as he breezed out of his office. Their clerk spun around in his chair to face Ron.

"'Nother lazy one?" Luz asked knowingly. Their kind had no reason to visit the terrestrial plane unless for business.

Ron grimaced. "Unfortunately."

A wide grin split Luz's face. "Have fun with that!" he said, waggling his fingers at Ron. No doubt he enjoyed Ron's suffering while he got to stay up here in their cushy office.

* * *

"I'm sorry, you're who now?"

It took all of Ron's willpower to maintain his professionalism and not pinch the bridge of his nose in front of his client. "I'm Agent Speirs, and I'm here to grant your wish."

Lipton's expression did that pinched thing again, same as it had when Ron first introduced himself. "But I didn't wish for anything."

Ron snapped his fingers and a sheet of paper appeared in his hand. "Yeah, well according to this," he said, lifting the page to draw Lipton's attention before reading from it, "at approximately 12:30 am on the 5th you wished on a star saying--and I quote-- _I wish I wasn't alone._ " He glanced at Lipton for a reaction, not expecting to see the man's cheeks flush before his eyes. 'Adorable' seemed like the wrong word to describe a grown man yet it was all Ron could think of.

"That--that was nothing. It wasn't a wish."

"Really? 'Cause it says right here you specifically said 'I wish', which means you made a wish and therefore it's my job to make it happen. All I need from you is to explain what exactly it is you wanted."

When Lipton didn't respond, Ron tried a different tack. "Look, Mr. Lipton--can I call you Carwood?--based on your records, you seem like a nice guy who deserves whatever it is you wished for. I _want_ to make that happen for you." Carwood's lips twitched into a faint smile so Ron continued, trying not to stumble over his words as that smile warmed his insides in a way he hadn't felt in millenia.

"I'll gladly provide more proof if you need it, but I can assure you that whatever you say stays between us. Well, the agency too, but that's for official record keeping." And if Lipton refused his service, that'd be a whole different stack of paperwork to fill out, which he didn't look forward to. It was in everyone's best interest if Lipton just took the damn offer.

Carwood considered him for a moment and let him into the house although he still seemed skeptical. Ron glanced around as he followed Carwood into the living room. It was a small house with spartan furnishings but well-kept. There was little that gave any insight into his client's personality or interests, only some photos that caught his attention. Upon closer inspection, he spotted a younger Carwood among a boisterous group of soldiers. He looked happier then.

"We all wished for a lot of things over the years," Carwood said, sadness in his voice. "Nothing came from any of them." He came up beside Ron and stared at the photos with him. 

_Because you didn't wish on stars._ He wouldn't say it, though, because he didn't want to add to the hurt. If they had wished on stars, the agents would've been assigned to make sure their wishes came true. No wish went unheard, but only those made on stars could be handed down to the agents for fulfillment. He didn't know why that was or think it fair, it was just the rule and he was in no position to do anything about them. 

Ron shoved his hands in his pockets. He was here strictly on business, not to reach out and try to comfort his client no matter how much he wanted to. 

"So let me make one of yours come true." Ron kept his eyes glued on the photo of Carwood looking smart in his dress blues. "What did you mean?"

"I want someone to come home to; to make memories with. To build a life with. I want...love."

* * *

The door of his office clicked shut, drawing Ron's attention from the paperwork in front of him. Perco dropped into the seat opposite his desk as he looked up. "Make yourself comfortable," Ron drawled.

"Don't mind if I do." Perco flashed him a goofy smile, then tossed a folder onto Ron's desk. "We got a problem, boss."

Before Ron could say anything, though, Perco launched into explanation. Managing a tired smile, Ron simply nodded to give the illusion he was listening. In truth, he tended to tune out most of what their motormouth matchmaker said, having quickly developed a knack for distilling Perco's rambling down to only the important details. He was a good guy, Ron just didn't have the attention span for it while busy working. He thumbed through the file until suddenly holding up his hand to stop Perco.

"What do you mean _I'm_ a match?"

Perco looked at him like he was an idiot, which he probably was considering how confused he was by this information. Celestials weren't in the standard database Perco used; it was better for humans to be matched with other humans. Which wasn't to say such relationships between the two were forbidden, but their service didn't encourage it even in the extremely rare circumstances where no human matches existed within the wish-maker's lifetime. Was that the case here?

As if reading his mind, Perco turned serious. "You're the only match I can find for him. I checked three times to be sure before I sent it up to Nix to try. He got the same."

_Shit._

For as down as he sometimes got about his life, Ron had the consolation that he had eternity to figure it out--Carwood didn't. Maybe he got by on hopes and prayers, but the fact was that a human's lifespan was but a blink of the eye compared to celestials. If Carwood hadn't made that wish, he'd still be searching. And he'd never find anyone. The thought saddened Ron more than he cared to admit.

"Whaddya gonna do?"

Staring at the photo clipped to the folder, Ron blew out a sigh. What did he want to do? Being a match--celestial or human--didn't mean he had to accept. The match system only indicated partners who the Fates determined could successfully build a life together--if those people met. The journey of time changed based on the whims of the Makers, so it was impossible for the match system to guarantee anything other than chemistry between suitable partners. When someone wished for love, it was up to the agents to ensure a meeting.

If Ron accepted, Carwood's case would be relinquished to another agent for closing and he would be cast from the stars with no memory of his life as a celestial. To protect the agency and the fragile human mind, Ron had already erased Carwood's memory of their meeting. They would meet again as strangers.

Ron would also forfeit his celestial status and become human, bound by their laws of nature--finite lifespan included. Upon death he would return home, a soul suspended in the sky as one more glowing star to be tended by the Makers until they grew weary of this universe and created another that needed populating. The prospect of limited time terrified him as an immortal, but would it bother him as a human when their kind seemed to handle their mortality quite well?

Ron pushed the folder back across the desk. "Let's wait a few days and see if anything changes."

They both knew another match wouldn't miraculously appear in the system in that time, but it would at least buy him some time to consider his options.

* * *

Nose buried in his list, Ron reached for another orange as he mentally checked it off the list and scanned for the next item to get. Instead of the leathery peel of an orange, he accidentally grabbed a hand.

Ron's head snapped up, an apology dying on his lips as the owner of the hand stared at him in surprise. _Oh God, he's cute._ Ron yanked his hand away.

"I, uh, sorry about that."

Pink colored the guy's cheeks as his lips curved into a smile that made Ron's stomach flip. "It's okay." He ducked his head, sneaking another glance at Ron, smiling and looking away to select more oranges like he hadn't just been caught.

Ron took a few steps away but paused and pretended to study his list. He didn't normally ask out complete strangers, let alone at a place like the grocery store, but something about Orange Guy stuck in his mind. Maybe he'd misread the guy, but he knew he'd regret not at least asking.

When Ron turned, the hopeful look on Orange Guy's face bolstered his confidence. "Tell me if I'm out of line here, but I was wondering if you'd like to get coffee together sometime. There's a great little local place down the street."

Orange Guy's eyes lit up. "Welsh's?" Ron nodded. "I love that place! Stop every morning on the way to work. Their scones are fantastic."

"They always look good, but I haven't tried one yet."

Orange Guy chuckled. "You're missing out."

"Well maybe you can show me what else I'm missing out on. I'm pretty new to the neighborhood, so I'm still trying to get settled in and figure out where everything's at."

"I'd like that."

They exchanged information and a promise to set up a time to get together before Orange Guy had to excuse himself, much to Ron's disappointment. He could've stood there for hours, chatting up the guy between the piles of citrus fruits and bananas like it was the most normal thing in the world. And maybe that was why he'd driven Ron to distraction, because talking to him had felt so comfortable and easy and natural--and so right.

He glanced at the information the guy had entered into his phone and tapped 'save'. He had a feeling he'd be talking to Carwood again before the day was over.


End file.
